Tribulation

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
~John 16:33, KJV

This verse is really encouraging during times of struggle when everything seems to be going wrong. This hits home for me because a few months ago my husband and I lost our jobs and I have this verse on a plaque in my house. It was a good reminder that we didn't need to fear the world because God would take us where He wanted us and the world couldn't stop it.

We were never promised that in life we wouldn't have trouble, this verse is actually saying the opposite, it is saying that we will have tribulation. Yet we shouldn't walk around in fear or depression but we should be of good cheer because we are in God's hands and God has overcome the world. Since we lost our jobs God has moved us to where He wants us to be and our lives are so much better. We are so happy and are where we want to be. We had okay lives before by now every day feels like an adventure and a blessing.

God is awesome!

He Hears You

"And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask an thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him."

~1 John 5:14-15, KJV

How wonderful it is for us that we can know that He hears us. You are never alone.

That's the sort of confidence that gives me comfort, to know that the God of the universe hears my prayers. That He hears what I ask of Him. That if what I'm asking is within His will I know that I have that which I asked for. What a wonderful comfort. 

Just Ask

"Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that sketch receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom is his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"

~Matthew 7:7-11, KJV

I wonder how much we don't have as Christian at times just because we don't ask the Lord. I can't begin to remember all the times that I struggled with something day by day to find a simple prayer could make each day so much easier and the burden lighter. 

It's not always easy to remember but it's so easy to ask the Father. Sometimes I need a gentle reminder from my husband that I should just pray about it and when I do it is better. Yeah, life can still be difficult but prayer helps put it in perspective and sometimes the Father just says, "Yes" and who can beat that? Sometimes it's a different answer then you are expecting or wanting but it's always better when God is in your life and the situation and you invite Him there. 

Do you really want or need something? Are you struggling to obtain something? Ask the Lord. 

Faith Standing in the Power of God

"And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

-1 Corinthians 2:4-5, KJV

So many people, not just today but for ages, try to entice people into believing their religion. They try to act as if they have more knowledge and special revalations in their denominations than in others. And people are tricked into believing in the religions without even realizing that they are believing in the men and what they say and not in God. They also end up believing in the men's wisdom and their own wisdom instead of God and what He can do.